The present invention relates to an electric motor driven vehicle having at least two electrical energy storage packs, an electric motor, an electrical generating device, e.g., an electric generator or alternator, and switches to provide a source of electric power to the motor from one or the other electrical energy storage packs while the non-power providing storage pack is being recharged and methods of operation.
With the growing concern over air pollution, petroleum shortages and other problems associated with gasoline, natural gas, diesel or other fossil fuel powered vehicles, the automobile industry is in the throes of devising power systems which are increasingly less dependent upon the combustion engine. There are at least two relevant alternatives presently available. One is a purely electric powered vehicle which, as presently designed and marketed, requires recharging from outside sources at frequent intervals. The other is the so-called hybrid vehicle which has both an electrical motor and a gasoline reciprocal engine; the one augmenting the other to produce greater mileage, and therefore less pollution, per unit of gasoline consumption. There is a third, the hydrogen fuel cell powered vehicle, the efficaciousness of which is not yet proven.
Efforts to improve the self sufficiency of the purely electric powered automobile have produced a number of different designs, none of which promise to minimize or eliminate the necessity of frequent intermittent outside charging of their electrical storage cells or significantly reduce the frequency of charging from an outside source. Certain designs rely upon an electric motor driving an electric generator through selective gear and clutch mechanisms. See, for example, Armfield U.S. Pat. No. 4,095,665 and Fobbs, U.S. Pat. No. 4,222,450. Other designs provide a generator powered directly by a free-running wheel. See, for example, Unsworth, U.S. Pat. No. 4,496,016. However, such designs do not disclose circuitry including battery packs which are separately charged and separately supply electric power to the vehicle. Still other designs provide electrical power generation by an independent fifth, free-running wheel. These designs, however, either do not provide circuit connection with electric storage packs nor do they demonstrate direct connection to a battery pack separably independent of another battery pack providing electric power to the motor. See, for example, AI-Dokhi, U.S. Pat. No. 5,921,334. Certain further designs demonstrate charging of battery packs through regenerative action of braking wheels or coasting free-running wheels while the motor or engine is idling; none of them demonstrate an ability to provide sufficient electrical generation to minimize the frequency of recharging from an external source. Prior designs, to applicant""s knowledge, do not demonstrate a method of charging an electrical storage pack which is independent of the driving motor in a disconnected manner and which maintains the entirety of the electrically powered drive system independent of the electrical charging system.
In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, an electrical powered vehicle recharges its electrical power storage packs by means of an electrical generating device such as a generator or alternator connected to one or more free-running wheels which is rotated by contact with the roadway, independent of the vehicle""s power train and powered wheels. At least two electrical storage packs are provided and a switch alternately connects the generating device to the depleted electrical storage pack, which is simultaneously disconnected from the electric motor, at the same time connecting the fully charged electrical storage pack to provide power to the electric motor which drives the vehicle.
In alternate configurations, this invention may have more than one electrical generating device connected to more than one free-running wheel, and may have a plurality of electrical storage packs along with appropriate switches.
Preferably, the invention includes a plurality of battery packs, one or more electrical generating devices connected to one or more free-running wheels, one or more electric motors powered by one or more, but not all, of the battery packs, all of which are controlled by a management and distribution system with sensors situated to inform the management system of the need for power generation and distribution as the needs for power storage and power supply may vary.
Any of the embodiments of this invention may also include electrical power collection from regenerative sources such as from the electric motor when it is in a braking mode and which motor converts to a generator (i.e. when the vehicle is in a descending attitude and the powered wheels rotate the motor). Furthermore, the system may include a battery-pack recharging system whereby the individual cells (or separate batteries) in the battery pack(s) are charged when in a parallel electrical circuit and are switched into a series electrical circuit when the battery pack is powering the vehicles electric drive motor. The vehicle may also include other external electrical power supply sources such as photo-voltaic cells or provision for direct charging from an external electrical power source.
In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, there is provided an electric motor driven vehicle with an electrical system having at least two electrical storage packs, one of which is recharged by one or more of free-running wheels while the other, already charged battery pack, powers the electric motor to drive the vehicle. Ample electrical power to alternating battery packs is provided to maintain a predetermined magnitude of electrical energy to power the electric drive motor.
In a preferred embodiment according to the present invention, there is provided a power-generating system for an electric-powered vehicle having at least a pair of wheels, comprising at least first and second discrete battery packs for storing electrical energy, an electrical generating device coupled to at least one of the wheels of the vehicle for generating electricity in response to rotation of the one wheel, an electric motor connected to another of the wheels for driving the another wheel, discrete battery-charging electrical circuits coupling the generating device and the battery packs, including a first switch for selectively charging the first and second battery packs through the discrete battery charging electrical circuits, respectively, discrete electrical driving circuits coupled to the electric motor and the battery packs, including a second switch for electrically driving the motor using stored electrical energy (i) from the first battery pack when the first switch connects the generating device and the second battery pack and the second switch connects the motor and the first battery pack and (ii) from the second battery pack when the first switch connects the generating device and the first battery pack and the second switch connects the motor and the second battery pack, respectively.
In a further preferred embodiment according to the present invention, there is provided a power-generating system for an electric-powered vehicle having at least a pair of wheels, comprising at least first and second discrete battery packs for storing electrical energy, an electrical generating device coupled to at least one of the wheels of the vehicle for generating electricity in response to rotation of the one wheel, an electric motor connected to another of the wheels for driving the another wheel, discrete battery-charging electrical circuits coupling the generating device and the battery packs, including a first switch for selectively charging the first and second battery packs through the discrete battery charging electrical circuits, respectively, discrete electrical driving circuits coupled to the electric motor and the battery packs, including a second switch for electrically driving the motor using stored electrical energy from a selected one of the battery packs and means for alternating between (i) charging one of the first and second battery packs and powering the electric motor using stored electrical energy from another of the first and second battery packs and (ii) charging the another of the first and second battery packs and powering the electrical motor using stored electrical energy from the one of the first and second battery packs.
In a further preferred embodiment according to the present invention, there is provided a power generating system for an electric-powered vehicle having at least a pair of wheels, comprising at least first and second discrete battery packs for storing electrical energy, an electrical generating device coupled to at least one of the wheels of the vehicle for generating electricity in response to rotation of the one wheel, an electric motor connected to another of the wheels for driving the another wheel, discrete battery-charging electrical circuits coupling the generating device and the battery packs for selectively charging the first and second battery packs through the discrete battery charging electrical circuits, respectively, discrete electrical driving circuits coupled to the electric motor and the battery packs for electrically driving the motor using stored electrical energy selectively from the first and second battery packs, each selected battery-charging circuit being electrically independent of each selected electrical driving circuit affording electrical disconnection between the electrical generating device and the electric motor when powering the vehicle.
In a further preferred embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a method of powering a vehicle comprising the steps of (a) electrically connecting at least one of a plurality of discrete battery packs having stored electrical energy to an electric motor to drive a wheel of a vehicle and thereby drive the vehicle, (b) generating electrical energy in an electrical generating device in response to rotation of another wheel of the vehicle, (c) electrically connecting the electrical generating device to a battery pack different than the battery pack in electrical connection with the electric motor to charge the different battery pack, (d) electrically disconnecting the one battery pack and the electric motor, (e) electrically connecting another of the battery packs to the electric motor to drive the wheel of the vehicle and thereby drive the vehicle, (f) electrically disconnecting the electrical generating device from the different battery pack, (g) electrically connecting the electrical generating device with the one battery pack to charge the one battery pack and (h) electrically connecting and disconnecting the battery packs and the electric motor and electrically connecting and disconnecting the electrical generating device and the battery packs such that the same battery pack is disabled from simultaneously being charged and driving the electric motor.